Margin justifying device for typewriters



o. O. MARTIN MARGIN JUSTIFYING DEVICE FOR TYPEWRITERS Nov. 23;A 1948.

Filed May l, 1944 s sheets-sheer;

N0v.23,194s. .@QQMARTIN 7 A 2,454,470A

MARGIN JUSTIFYING DEVICE FOR "IYPEWRITERS Filed May 1, 1944 g v -1 s'shees-sheet a INVENTOR:

Nov. 23, 1948. o. o. MARTIN MARGIN JUSTIFYING DEVICE FOR TYPEWRITES 3 sheets-sheet s Filed May '1. 1944 INVENTOR;

Patented Nov. 23, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MARGIN J USTIFYING DEVICE FOR TYPEWRITERS l Oliver 0. Martn, Montrose, Calif.

Application May 1, 1944, Serial No. 533,518

23 Claims. 1

This invention relates to typewriters and particularly to improvements in devices for embodiment in such machines and operable to vary .the letter spacing thereof.

It is the object of my invention to provide a device which may be readily attached to or embodied in commercially well known typewriters without interfering with or changing the general combinations `and features thereof. It is a further objeet of the invention to provide a simple and inexpensive device, conveniently operable to justify alike wide and narrow columns on both short and long carriages.

To this end, the invention resides in the combinations hereinafter fully described, and preferred forms of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. l is a sectional end elevation of a device embodying the invention, showing its relation to the carriage of a well known typewriter;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end view of the central portion of the device of Fig. l;

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary views illustrating improved means of supporting the center portion of t-he device;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of the right end of Fig. 1 and with certain additional features embodied therein;

Fig. '7 is an end view of the typewriter carriage on which the structure of Fig. 6 is shown mounted;

Fig. 8 is a front View of the center and left end pori-ion of a modiiied form of the invention;

Fig. 9 is a plan View substantially in agreement with Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on line |0|0 of Fig. 8.

The device of my invention is adapted for attachment to a commercially well known typewriter, enough parts of which are indicated in light outlines in the drawings to show the posi` tion which the device occupies thereon. Of these parts, the reference character A designates the rear portion of the top plate, B is the carriage and C the end frames of the latter. The platen cylinder D, paper table E, marginal stop bar F and tabulator bar G all are shown in substantially correct position within the carriage.

A plate l bridges the space within the carriage ends C, to which it is secured in any suitable manner, advantage being preferably taken of perforations already therein provided. In this plate is seated a stud 2, on which a gear wheel 3 is mounted to rotate. The stud is suitably clamped in position on the plate as, for example, by a knurled nut 4. A circular disk 5 is placed on the stud adjacent the gear wheel, and it isV noticed that the two parts ride on a sleeve 6 which is slightly longer than the combined thickness thereof. When thereupon a knurled nut 1 is seated on the front end of the stud and tightened` against the sleeve, it is seen that the two parts are free to rotate on the sleeve. The gear wheel 3 rides in the teeth of a rack 9, which latter is suitably secured to the top aplate A, as by means of brackets ID. Pins |2 of the gear may be seated in perforations of the disk to maintain the two parts properly alined circumferentially and mutually rotatable.

A second stud 20 is rigidly seated on the plate I, rotatably to support a rocker 2|, the inner portion of which extends downward to form an arm 2l, and the end of this arm is shaped pivotally to support a link 22. The latter is tted with a stud 23, which rides in a cam slot 58L of the disk 5. It is important to note that the rocker is made with a front plate 2lb, in which is cut an elongated perforation 2 lc. In the position indicated in Fig. 2, the carriage has been returned to the beginning of the printing line, and it is pointed out that letter space movement thereof causes the cam disk to rotate and, through the link 22, to turn the rocker 2| clockwise.

A triangular frame 24 is shown tted with a stud 25, which rides in a substantially horizontal slot 2lia of a bracketl 26, which latter is rigidly secured to the plate l. The axis of this stud forms the center of an arc passing through the axis of the stud 2|) and also through the center of the circular perforation 2 |c of the rocker front plate. A stud 2l of the frame 24 is seated to ride in this slot. A bar 28 is pivotally hung on this frame at 29 and it is at its outer end fitted with a guide 3|), within which a link 3| is slidably supported. The inner end of this link is pivotally hung on the stud 25, and the outer end thereof is shown journaled on the upper end of a lever 32. A post 33 projects from the carriage end plate pivotally to support this lever, the lower end of which, through the medium of a link 34, is connected to move the escapement rack 35 longitudinally. It is noticed that the bar 28 carries an upwardly directed tooth 28a which rides in the first 'of a series of notches 3|a of the link 3|, and that a spring 36 of the guide 3|] maintains this tooth rmly in posit-ion in its notch.

It was above stated that letter space movement imparts rotation to the Vcam 5 thereby to turn the rocker 2| clockwise on its pivot 20. It is now seen that this movement is effective to swing the lever 32 on its pivot, thereby to move the escapement rack to the left, that is in the direction of the letter space movement of the carriage, thereby to increase the length of the letter spacing. The escapement rack is shown made with an elongated perforation 35a, through which a fastening screw 31 extends, this being one of the methods commonly employed in mounting the rack for relative longitudinal movement.

The device of my invention, in the form illustrated, is for illustration shown adapted to justify over eight spaces, of which four lengthen and four shorten the printing line, but it may be designed to justify over additional spaces,k if so desired. The link 3| is, to this end, made with nine notches which are suitably marked for the guidance of the operator. As indicated in Fig. 2 the center notch is marked O, and numbers 1 to 4 extend therefrom in both directions. The number appearing directly outside the right side edge of the guide 3% designates the number of spaces the device will lengthen or shorten the printing line. By depressing the Vguide 30, the tooth 28a may be moved from notch to notch, thereby to swing the stud 21 upward along the perforation 2|, gradually to decrease the movement of the escapement rack until, when thefstud becomes axially alined with the stud 20, such relative movement ceases. Above this neutral position, the lever 32 is swung in the opposite direction in response to rotation of the cam disk v5, thereby to shorten the letter spacing,

The cam slot 5a is designed to justify uniformly over the travel of an ordinary length carriage, but as the justification may be satisfactorily performed over a much shorter distance, in about six inches of letter spacing, it may be found desirable to make the beginning and the end of the cam slot circular and to make the intermediate cam rise portion to correspond to six inches of travel. When so arranged, it is possible to vary the width of column considerably and to indent the beginning of each paragraph and still retain complete justification.

Letter space adjustment may not always be required, and it is for thisv reason important to provide means for disengaging the device from the printing mechanism. This may, of course, be accomplished by moving the guide 30 to neutral position, but the disadvantage of such arrangement is that the gear 3 will continue to ride in the rack S and so be subject to constant wear.

A better way is to raise the gear 3 out of engagement with the rack, and this may readily be accomplished by merely loosening the nut 4. By referring to Fig. 3, it is noticed that the perforation la, in which the stud 2 rides, is shown slightly elongated in order to permit of such adjustment, and it is seen that the nut then again may be tightened to maintain the parts in elevated, disengaged position.

For multi-column work it becomes necessary somewhat to modify the device, and this may be accomplished in various ways. Where the columns are of equal width and remain so over long periods of time, it may be found most conventient to remove the cam disk and to substitute one having a cam rise corresponding to the width of column to be typed. In addition, it is preferable to make the gear 3 and the cam disk more conveniently disengageable from the rack 9. To this end, the gear 3 is, in Fig'. 4, shown mounted to rotate on a stud 4|] of a lever 4|, and the latter is pivotally fastened to the plate I by a stud 42 for sufficient movement to raise the gear out of engagement with the rack 9, against the tension of a spring 43. If the handle 4|au of this lever is located in close proximity to the escapement release lever (not shown), it is seen that both may conveniently be simultaneously depressed to space the carriage from column to column. It is, of course, necessary to return the cam disk to its initial position before starting on a new co1- umn. But because the operator might forget to dor this, it maybe found preferable to have this done automatically. For this purpose, it is possible to place a spring till between the cam disk and the gear, see Fig. 5, one end of which is anchored in the sleeve 6 and the other end thereof seated in the disk or gear rThis spring will return the gear the moment it is released from the rack and, because the spring drum of the typewriter urges the escapement rack and its connections through the lever 32 to the cam disk back into their initial positions, it is seen that this spring can be very light.

I-Iowever, columns are not always of the same width in multicolumn work, but in some classes of work vary considerably, particularly so in catalegue work. In such cases, it may be found objectionable to change disks, and other, more convenient means of readjusting the device may be found necessary. Illustrative of such resetting means, Figs. 6 and 7 are added to the drawings, and it will now be described how the connection from the link 3| to the escapement rack may be imodied to adjust the movement of the latter to obtain the desired amount of justification over any given shorter length of printing line.

In this case, a lever replaces the connecting lever 32. This substitute lever does not, however, directly connect with the link 3|, but is shown tted with a slide 5|, on which is mounted a lateral projection 52, and the latter rides in a slot '53a of an arm 53. The lever and arm are both shown journaled on a bracket 54 of the carriage end, but it is important to note that the fulcrum 55 of the arm is located far below the pivotal point 5t of the lever 5|?. A thumb screw 51 is shown mounted in the slide 5| to lock the latter in any desired position of adjustment on the lever.

Because the pivotal point 55 of the arm '53 is so far below the fulcrum 56 of the lever, it is seen that, as the projection 52 is moved downward, the throw of the lever is gradually increased relative to the throw of the arm 53. When a row of properly located marks 58 is placed on the arm 53, for registration with a line 59 of the slide, it is seen that, by moving the slide from mark to mark, justification over a printing line one inch shorter than that for which it was previously set may be obtained. This, of course, is merely illustrative of means for adjusting the device to the desired column width.

Returning now to Fig. 4, it is noticed that a pawl 46 is hung on the lever 4| and that a stud 4i projects from the support plate l below this pawl. rIhese elements are introduced in order to illustrate means of locking the lever in depressed position to maintain the gear out 0f engagement with the rack S when justification is not required.

The device hereinbefore described is adapted for embodiment in the typewriter without changing the construction or interfering with the operation thereof. It is seen that, when the paper table E is in its normal position, the mechanism of the invention within the carriage ends is covered thereby but becomes fully exposed upon swinging the paper table back on its pivots into the position indicated in dotted outline in Fig. l.

It may be diiilcult, however, in some models of the particular typewriter illustrated to ind room for the rack 9. If this should be found to be the case, it is possible entirelyto eliminate this rack and in place thereof to rotate the cam disk 5 by means of a cord or tape, substantially as indicated in Figs. 8 and 9. In this case, a grooved pulley 60 takes the place of the gear wheel 3, and a cord 6I is bent over this pulley, its free end being suitably anchored at the left end of th'e top plate A. A spring 62, similar to the spring 44 of Fig. 6, is shown mounted within the pulley 60. This spring must, however, when the cord is anchored at the left end of the top plate, be strong enough to rotate the cam disk for justification during the letter space movement of the carriage, and it becomes rewound by the cord 6l upon return of the carriage. Because in this particular typewriter the carriage is electrically returned, this slight additional load will not be found objectionable, If, on th'e other hand, the cord is anchored at the right end of the top plate, it is possible to retain the spring combination of Fig. 6, since the pull of the carriage during the letter space movement thereof will rotate the disk.

Where the typewriter is used only for 4single column work on the ordinary short carriage, such modified connection is suflicient and complete, and the cord may be detached from the pulley 60 when n0 justification is required. But for multicolumn work and in connection with longer carriages, it becomes' necessary to provide means for varying the length of the cord. This may be done by attaching the free end of the cord to a small spring drum B5, which latter is shown fitted with a toothed flange 66, and it is hung to rotate on a bracket l0, attached to the top plate post A' in any suitable manner. A pawl 61 is hung on the bracket 1U, and it is shaped to engage the teeth of this flange. The spring within this drum should be merely strong enough to maintain the cord taut when the pawl 61 is released, as when it is desired to tabulate down to another column. A spring 'I2 maintains the pawl in engagement with th'e teeth of the flange to hold the cord rigidly anchored. If desired, it is possible by means of a link 68 to connect the pawl with the typewriter tabulator lever (not shown), thereby automatically to release the drum for tabulating. It should be clear to anyone familiar with the art that such cord operated device may be used in connection with both long and short carriages.

A cam-shaped lever 1| is shown hung on the stud 69, on which the spring drum and the toothed flange are mounted to rotate. When the typewriter is to be used on work not requiring justification, this lever may be swung to the left until it reaches and depresses the pawl 61, in which position it will remain until the lever again is manually returned, and the return movement thereof may continue until the upper end of the lever comes to rest on the top plate post A. `As above suggested, this anchoring mechanism may also be placed at the right end of the top plate, if preferred1 and it is here sh'own placed at the left end thereof primarily in order not unnecessarily to complicate the drawings.

While I have in the foregoing described and in the drawings illustrated preferred forms of the invention, it is of course to be understood that the 6, details of structure and arrangement of parts may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit ofmy invention.

I claim:

1. Ina margin justifying device for a typewriter having a frame and a carriage movable thereon, an escapement rack, a circular member on the carriage, means secured to the typewriter frame and adapted to rotate said member in response to carriage movements, said member having a spiral cam slot, and means riding in said slot and extending to said rack for moving the latter longitudinally on the carriage upon rotation of the member.

2. In a margin justifying device for a typewriter having a frame and a carriage movable thereon, an escapement rack, a circular member on said carriage operatively connected with the typewriter frame for rotation in response to carriage movements on said frame, cam means associated with said member, justifying means engaging said cam means and extending to the escapement rack for moving the latter relative to the carriage upon rotation of said cam means, and -means embodied in said justifying means for adjustably varying the extent of said rack movement.

3. In combination with a typewriter frame and carriage movable thereon, an escapement rack on the carriage, a circular member on the carriage, means for rotating said member during carriage movements, a spiral cam rotatable with said member, a rocker on the carriage, a member eX- tending from said cam to oscillate said rocker upon rotation of the cam, connections from said rocker to the escapement rack vto move the latter relative lto the carriage in response `to rocker oscillations, and means for adjusting said connections to vary the rack movement.

4. In combination With a typewriter frame havingr a carriage movable thereon, an escapement rack on the carri-age, a circular member on the carriage, means for rotating said member during carriage movements, a spiral cam rotatable with said member, a rocker on the carriage, `connections from said `cam `to oscillate said rocker upon rotation of the cam, land connections from said rocker to move the escapement rack relative to the carriage in response to rocker oscillations to lengthen, shorten or to discontinue said relative rack movement.

5. In combination with a typewriter frame and carriage movable thereon, an escapement rack on the carriage, a circular member -on the carriage, means for rotating said member during carriage movements, a spiral cam rotatable with said member, :a rocker on the carriage, connections from said cam to oscillate said rocker upon rotation of the cam, control means extending from said rocker to ythe escapement rack t0 move the latter rela-tive to the carriage during rocker oscillations, means embodied in said control means for adjusting the latter to vary the ext-ent of said rack movement thereby to increase or decrease the number of letter spaces to be justified, and means embodied `in said control means for a-ccelerating the said relative rack movement to justify an equal number of letter spaces over a narrower column.

6. In combination Iwith a typewriter frame and carriage movable thereon, an escapement rack on the carriage, a circular member on the carriage, means for rotating said member in response .to Icarri-age movement-s, interchangeable cam means attachable tosaid` member, connections 7V, riding-'fin4 said,r cam^ means" and"l extendingI to f the esca-pement-rack fori. moving' ther latter` relative to the carriageuponrrotation'of the'cam; said cam means including cams shaped to impart uniform extent -ofmovement to .the rack f over a predetermined llength of carriage movement.

7.y In combinationwith aitypewriter frame and carriage movable thereon; an es-capement rack on thecarriage,l acam member'on the carriage, means imparting rotation to said member during c-arriage'movemerrts, connections from said cam member to said escapementrack to `move 'lthe latter relative tothe carriage a predetermined number of letter spaces upon rotation ofv the member,- and means embodied in said connections for accelerating said rack movement so asl to justify tothe-same number of letterspaces over narrower columns.

8; In combination with'atypewriter frame and carriage movable thereon, an -escapement-rack-on the carriage, justifying` means for mul-ticolumn typing comprising.' a cam member on the carriage, means imparting rotation to said member during carriage' movements acrossl a'column, -connections fromI said cam member to saidy escapement rack to movefthelatter relative to the carriage upon rotation of said member, means for disconnecting the member from said rotation imparting means during spacing of the carriage to another column, means returning-the member to its initial positionduring said lcarriage spacing, and Ameans embodied in saidconnections for varying the length of said relative rack movement to correspond to the width of column to be justied.

9. In combination with a typewriter frame and carriage 'movable thereon, an escapement rack on the carriage,y justifying means for multi-'column printing comprising, a cam member on the carriage, means yieldinglymaintaining said cam member in xed position,tmeans Iimparting rotation to said cam member against the tension of said yielding means yduring carriage movement across a column, connections, from' said cam member to move said escapement rack relative to the carriage uponrotation of the member, and means for disconnecting the member from said rotation imparting means during spacing of the carriage to another column thereby toA release the member for return rotation by said yielding means;

10. In combination with -a typewriter frame and carriage `movable thereon, an -escapement rack on the carriage, justifying means for multi-column printing comprising, a cam memb-er on they carriage, means'impartingrotation to said cam memn ber during carriagetmovement's across a column, connections fromsaid cam mem-ber tofmove-said escapement rack relative to' the carriage' upon rotationv of the member, means for disconnecting the member from said rotation. imparting means during spacing of the carriage to another column, and means embodied in said -connections for varying the length of the letter spacing during said relative rackmovement 'to correspond to the width of column to be justied.

1l. In combination with -a typewriter frame and carriage movable thereon, an'escapement rack on thel carriage, a cam on thecarriage, means yieldingly maintaining said `cam in a xed posi'- tion,.vmeansfiorrotating said cam against the tension oi said yielding means in respon-se to carriage movements, mea-nsnpositively driven by said cam to-move said escapement rack relativev to the carriag-er yduring movements of the latter, means for'adjusting-said-positivelyi driven means Ato de;

8 termine .the extent of saidi'racki movement, means for dis-connecting said cam from the said cam rotating means thereby to cause' saidyielding means toreturn the cam, and means forlocking the mechanism in such disconnected position.

12. In a margin justifying device for a typewriter having a frame and a carriage movable thereon, an'escapement rack on the carriage, a toothed cam disk mounted for rotation on the carriage, a rack on the machine frame in mesh with the teeth of said disk for rotating the-disk and cam during the entire carriage movement, and means operated by the cam for movingvsaid escapement rack relative to the carriage upon rotation of said cam.

13. In a margin justifying devi-ce for a typewriter having a frame and a carriage movable thereon, an escapement rack on the carriage, a toothed disk mounted for rotation on the carriage, a cam on said disk, a rack on the machine frame in mesh with the teeth of said v disk for rotating the disk and cam during the entire carriage movement, means for disconnecting the disk from said rack, means urging return rotation of the disk when so disconnected, and means operated by the cam for moving said escapement rack relative to the carriage upon rotation ofthe cam.

14.' In a margin justifying device for a-typewriter having a framel and a carriage movable thereon, an escapement rack on the carriage, a toothed cam disk mounted` for rotationon the carriage, a rack on the machine frame in mesh with the teeth of said disk for rotating the disk and cam during entire carriage movement, means operated by the cam for moving said escapement rack relative to the carriage upon rotation of the cam, means for disconnecting the disk from its rack, meansjurging return rotation of the disk when so disconnected, and means for `locking the diskin disconnected position.

15. In a margin justifying device for a typewriter having a frame and a carriage movable thereon; an escapement rack on ther carriage, a grooved disk mounted for rotation onthe carriage, a cam carried by said disk, a flexible'element extending from the typewriter frame to the groove of saidl disk forrotating the latter and the cam in response to carriage movement, and means operated by the cam for moving said escapement rack relative to the carriage upon rotation of the cam.v

16.` In a margin justifying device for a type'- writer having a frame and a carriage movable thereon, an'escapement rack on the carriage, a grooved disk mounted for rotation' on the' carriage, a cam on said disk, a flexible element eX- tending from the typewriter frame tothe groove of' the disk for rotating the disk and cam in response to carriagemovement in one direction, means associated with said disk and'cam for returning said parts to their initial position upon carriage movement in the opposite direction, and means operated by the cam for moving saidfescapement rack relative to the carriage upon rotation of the cam.

17. In a margin justifying device for a typewriter having a frame and a carriage movable thereon, an escapement rackv on the carriage, a grooved cam disk mounted for rotation thereon, a exible element having one of its ends fastened to the typewriter frame and the other end anchored in the groove of said disk, spring'means urging rotation of the disk in one direction t0 maintain said element taut, letter space movementof the carriage to print-linesof acolumn causing the disk to rotate in the opposite direction against the tension of said spring, means for momentarily releasing the element from its frame fastening to enable the spring means to return the disk to its initial position at the end of each line of the column and to free the carriage for spacing to a second column, and means operated by the cam for moving the escapement rack relative to the carriage upon rotation of said cam.

18. In a typewriter having a frame and a carriage movable thereon, an escapement rack on the carriage, a device for multi-column operation comprising, a grooved cam disk rotatable on the carriage, resilient means urging rotation of said disk to maintain it in a xed position, a flexible member extending from the groove of said disk to fastening means on the typewriter frame for maintaining said member taut, letter space movement of the carriage to print lines of a column causing the disk to rotate against the tension of said resilient means, said fastening means being momentarily releasable to enable said resilient means to return the disk to its initial position at the end of the column and to free the carriage for spacing to the next following column, means operated by said cam for movement of the escapement rack relative to the carriage upon rotation of the lcam, and means for locking said fastening means in released position to render said device inoperative.

19. In a typewriter having a frame and a carriage movable thereon, an escapement rack on said carriage, a device for multi-column margin justification comprising, a grooved `cam disk rotatable on the carriage, resilient means urging rotation of said disk to maintain it in a fixed position, a spring drum on the frame, a exible member extending from the groove of said disk to said spring drum to maintain said member taut, locking means for said drum, letter space movement of the carriage to print lines of a column causing the disk to rotate against the tension of said resilient means, said locking means being manually releasable to enable said resilient means to return the disk to its initial position at the end of the column and to free the carriage for spacing to the next following column, and means operated by the cam for moving the escapement rack relative to the carriage upon rotation of the cam.

20. In a margin justifying device for a typewriter having a frame, a carriage movable thereon and an escapement rack, a cam mounted for rotation on said carriage, means on the typewriter frame connected to rotate said cam, in response to carriage movements, means operated by the cam to move said rack relative to the carriage to lengthen or shorten the printing line a predetermined number of letter spaces over the 10 full length of carriage movement, and means for adjusting said cam operated means to justify shorter printing lines a corresponding number of letter spaces.

21. In a margin justifying device for a typewriter having a frame, a carriage movable there on and an escapement rack, a cam mounted for rotation on said carriage, means on the typewriter frame connected to rotate said cam in response to carriage movements, means operated by said cam to move the escapement rack relative to the carriage to lengthen or to shorten printing lines of a column the full width of the carriage travel a predetermined number of letter spaces, and means for adjusting said cam operated means to justify the lines of narrower columns a corresponding number of letter spaces.

22. In combination with a typewriter having a frame and a carriage movable thereon, an escapement rack on the carriage, a rotatory cam member on the carriage, an element on the typewriter frame engaging said member for rotating the member during ,letter space movement of the carriage over the entire range of movement thereof, connections from said cam member to move said rack on the carriage in response t0 rotations of the member, means embodied in said connections to control the extent of rack movement to suit justification requirements, and means associated with said rack movement control for varying the letter spacing to correspond to column width variations.

23. In a margin justifying device for a typewriter having a frame and a carriage movable thereon, an escapement rack on the carriage, a circular cam member on the carriage, an element on the typewriter frame engaging said cam member to rotate the member during letter space movements of the carriage over the entire range Aof movement thereof,'connections from said cam member to said escapement rack for moving the latter relative to the carriage upon rotation of the member, and means associated with said connections for varying the letter space length during said relative rack movement to correspond to the width of column to be justified.

OLIVER O. MARTIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,693,797 OBryan et al Dec. 4, 1928 2,185,226 Rider Jan. 2, 1940 2,296,881 Szego et al Sept. 29, 1942 2,307,339 lStego et al. Jan. 5, 1943 2,325,505 Groy July 27, 1943 

